Living Car Free - House Free

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?
When transportation is constrained, for example by limiting car use, I think the role of the home and its immediate neighborhood becomes more significant. A good home offers much stability. It has many physical and social resources for creating a good life for yourself and your loved ones. Under current circumstances, the biggest negatives may be the high associated costs that result in financial pressure, living out of easy commuting range, or choosing less desirable neighborhoods.

You know, today I drove past a house with a detached garage. The garage door was wide I believe, like a 2 car garage, and there was a walk-in door next to it with 50-100 square feet of extra space for storage or workspace or whatever. I was thinking that I would like to live in some small space like that.

i looked at an 'apartment' that was a converted detached garage. It even had its own fenced-in part of the yard. It was 2 floors with low ceilings and small rooms. Everything was makeshift and really interesting and ingenuitive. My girlfriend and I were going to get it but we decided to break up and get back together later instead haha.

anyway, I've always been a fan of small spaces and little belongings.

When I hiked the AT it was a life changing experience.

Crashing on someone's couch for three weeks, and living out of a small suitcase when I was photographing a shuttle launch, sucked ass.

I live in an apartment. I wouldn't want to be house free, as that's a little too disconnected from society than I care to be.

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

If I was single and wanted to walk the earth, meet people, and solve mysteries every week, this is one lifestyle I would consider.

Being I have a family, there's just no way I would voluntarily give up our home - not even for a Beverly Hills couch tour.

When transportation is constrained, for example by limiting car use, I think the role of the home and its immediate neighborhood becomes more significant. A good home offers much stability. It has many physical and social resources for creating a good life for yourself and your loved ones. Under current circumstances, the biggest negatives may be the high associated costs that result in financial pressure, living out of easy commuting range, or choosing less desirable neighborhoods.

Well put. :thumb:

I travel extensively for work, I take things with me to make it seem a bit more like "home" like my bicycle(s):p but there is no place like home. Even when I stay gone for a couple of month at a time it is still good to make the corner and see my small house. Personally think a lot of people buy a big house as a status symbol rather than out of need. If smaller living quarters were well designed more people might consider them, however we do live in a "super sized" society:rolleyes:

Aaron:)

Ironic that this is in "Living car free," as living house free--in my experience--basically requires a car (or van) to park "down by the river."

Well. since the availibility of caves is rather limited these days, I opt for a house or an apartment. It's nice to be on the road for weeks or months, but for longer periods, it's good to have a little stability.

I consider a home a necessity. The shape that home takes can vary, depending on the needs of the individual, but living without a home is not a good idea.

I have considered that, since retiring three years ago, if I were not married with kids, I might be either house free or car free. Of course being house free means I would probably have a Suburban to live out of. I think I would still ride.

I have also considered that the other name for house free is homeless, but for a person who chooses to live that way it may not be an accurate label.

I have also considered that the other name for house free is homeless, but for a person who chooses to live that way it may not be an accurate label.

Hobo?

I've been thinking about going house free for the last couple of years. My thoughts are to sell my house and most of my stuff and live and travel out of my van. I would take my touring bike and then travel to different areas and ride to explore. I might be on the bike for a week or a month and then return to the van and move on to another area. No set plans or time frames...real freedom!

Eventually I would buy a condo or townhouse whenever I was ready to join "normal" society again.

When transportation is constrained, for example by limiting car use, I think the role of the home and its immediate neighborhood becomes more significant. A good home offers much stability. It has many physical and social resources for creating a good life for yourself and your loved ones. Under current circumstances, the biggest negatives may be the high associated costs that result in financial pressure, living out of easy commuting range, or choosing less desirable neighborhoods.

I think money can bring stabilty: such as renting out a storage unit for your stuff and routines can be money based which will provide more: college is a great choice.


Ironic that this is in "Living car free," as living house free--in my experience--basically requires a car (or van) to park "down by the river."

How many people do you know who live down by the river?
Think about all the touring cyclists they're house-lite or free?




I have also considered that the other name for house free is homeless, but for a person who chooses to live that way it may not be an accurate label.
I am trying to avoid negitive sterotypes.
Here is a search of like words of vagabond.
aimless, bum, cast, derelict, dosser, drift, drifting, floating, gypsy, hobo, homeless, itinerant, outcast, ramble, range, roam, rove, rover, runabout, stray, swan, tramp, vagrant, waif, wander, wanderer
rascal,rootless


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I am home free. I went on tour for 83 days and now I have a functioning life going on 14 days. I am attending college full time and work at the college. I am looking at housing, but not in a hurry. I do own a storage unit.

The biggest thing is getting your routines down as I mentioned above. I have found those routines take alot of your time if you want to be a human. Not owning a car is not that hard if you have a storage unit.
Concerns
Eating habits, exposure, lack of sleep, safety (outside a shelter), and weather.

Weather has been the biggest factor. 100s and Thunderstorms.
Eating habits less food choices, and amount may have gone down a few thousand calories. ( 3500 norm)
Exposure sun, rain, cold, and elements.
not getting a full 8 hrs of sleep and using caffine to tweek my sleeping schedule.
No problems so far with safety.

i have been homeless before, not in an intresting way..more of a work to eat no bike no car nothing, can't even shower but maybe once i week in a tropical climate kind of way. It sucked and i've been lucky to end up well off now but it really was an eye opener on how i never want to be again. I like small spaces and little belonging as one said to a certain extent. I love not having a car(living in a metroplex i don't need one) but not having a house with a wife and child i don't think i would want to do ever.

I found this (http://guide2homelessness.blogspot.com/) guide to living homeless. It is a real interesting read on how to be homeless and thrive.

I consider myself house-free. I currently rent a 10'x20' room that was converted from a one car garage. On one end, there's a slider to the backyard. And the other, a metal/security door that leads down the driveway. I possess very few items.

I'm about to be 32, I'm not married and I have no kids. I have plenty of room in the room. I'm the most organized, meticulous person I've ever known. :D As soon as my buddy moves back from St. Louis, we're gonna get an apartment. Until then, I'll enjoy my space.

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

I'm sure there are a bunch of friendly folks down by the river to help you out...LOL:innocent:

I would seriously go with a BOB Yak trailer, 3 season tent, depending on where you live/plan to live, food rations, a pan, campin' sh*t and away weee go!

My dream is to live alone in a Tough Shed(R), 12X20, 2 room, with plumbing and propane, no electricity.
I am too tied to the world to escape yet.

back when I lived in orlando, I lived in a self storage unit for a few months. showed at the place I worked.

saved bought a bikes direct road bike. and camping gear came home to alabama. not everyone knows abotu the storage unit because of the negative stereotype of not having a home

Well I just found a place to be house lite.
Co housing place with a concert in my living room :)

I just recently got pulled over,
I was sleeping in a picnic area on the concrete open till 0000
What ever no warrants bye let me go back to sleep.
Day camping works well here.

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

Been there.... done that..... 23 years playing Marine. 2 years on sea duty with the squids (Navy), playing in the woods on Camp Lejune - the deserts of Twentynine Palms, a year in the middle east. Oh yeah, and this little road trip to Somalia......

Things I missed? 24/7 electricity, running water, a/c, beer - but ya get used to it. Things I don't miss? Getting shot at.

What I took away - I can pick up and disappear into the woods if I ever wanted to and still survive.

Ive done the house/home free thing voluntarily several times for 3-4 months, you know the whole long term travelling thing, long backpacking trips thing, etc. Its cool for a couple of months but gets old for me after that. Its certainly alot better if you have money in your pocket for luxuries.
I remember something a british infantryman said to me in Afghanistan once..he said you can live without most of life's neccesities if you can get ahold of a few of life's luxuries.
That being said, now that I have a normal old professional, family man life, I do still remember with alot of nostalgia the old footlose trips, and have fantasies about taking more of them. Crawling in a warm bed with my wife and walking in the door after work and seeing my dogs so happy to see me keeps me remembering how good I have it now.
Life on the road can be really, really lonely at times.

As a woman, I'll always make it a priority to have a shelter with lockable doors and windows. Sexual predators exist, and homeless/free women are frequent and easy prey.


I remember something a british infantryman said to me in Afghanistan once..he said you can live without most of life's neccesities if you can get ahold of a few of life's luxuries.

I like the way he thinks. :) I would love to live almost off the grid -- a four-season cabin, with a garden/farm for most of my food (maybe close enough to town that I could go in for stuff when I needed it), a well and rain barrels, a composting toilet. My luxury would be communications technology. I need my internet. :rolleyes:

back when I lived in orlando, I lived in a self storage unit for a few months. showed at the place I worked.

I had a co-worker who told me that at another job he used to live at work. He slept in his cubicle, used the company showers and cooked his food in the microwave. He kept his food and clothes in a file cabinet and in his car.

I have a couple of friends who lived in their cars while attending university. One was in the greater Vancouver area where it can get cool and wet but seldom cold. The other was in Calgary where temperatures in winter can stay well below freezing for weeks on end. Today, both of these people live in rather upscale homes and enjoy a relatively wealthy standard of living.

While their accommodations were extremely modest, they still had places they could call home. The same is true for other modest accommodations including the cubicle, the storage unit, the converted garage, tent and other creative housing options. Such places can be made habitable and will provide at the least a short-term solution.

True homelessness, where a person has no shelter of any sort, is a bleak and brutal existence. One can refer to it as "home-free" but that does not make it any less difficult. A "home-lite" setting, where a person lives in a small space but still has some shelter from the elements, wildlife and other dangers, is a much better option.

That being said, now that I have a normal old professional, family man life, I do still remember with alot of nostalgia the old footlose trips, and have fantasies about taking more of them. Crawling in a warm bed with my wife and walking in the door after work and seeing my dogs so happy to see me keeps me remembering how good I have it now.
Life on the road can be really, really lonely at times.
+1.



While their accommodations were extremely modest, they still had places they could call home. The same is true for other modest accommodations including the cubicle, the storage unit, the converted garage, tent and other creative housing options. Such places can be made habitable and will provide at the least a short-term solution.

True homelessness, where a person has no shelter of any sort, is a bleak and brutal existence. One can refer to it as "home-free" but that does not make it any less difficult. A "home-lite" setting, where a person lives in a small space but still has some shelter from the elements, wildlife and other dangers, is a much better option.

+1.

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

If you are seriously considering this, try looking at some RV forums. There are a surprising number of full-timers. I've seen some that are fully self-contained and gas-free (and inexpensive). Get a great bike rack and you'll be set!

:D

So what are your thoughts on home free or House lite?

You do read the forum stickies, don't you:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=450643


And I've been essentially home/house free (or "lite", I suppose) for almost 4 years now.

I just spent 14 weeks in Tanzania (East Africa) house-free. I taught photography and biology at a secondary school for orphans. Shared beds, ate rice cooked over a wood fire, bathed and washed my clothes out of buckets. The best experience of my short 19-year life so far. I say go for it. It's amazing what little things we need to survive.

http://cheaprvliving.com/

I dreamt my whole life of living in a single room house with a couch, bed, bathroom, and kitchen all in one. The bathroom would be seperate obviously. Sorta life one of those warehouse apartments on tv only small enough for everything to fit exactly.

I dreamt my whole life of living in a single room house with a couch, bed, bathroom, and kitchen all in one. The bathroom would be seperate obviously. Sorta life one of those warehouse apartments on tv only small enough for everything to fit exactly.

And I did exactly that from January to April this year. It was great! :)